During an interview on Sky News yesterday Sir Tom, who is responsible for inspecting police forces in England and Wales, claimed detectives are under more stress than response and neighbourhood police officers.

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Today, he has apologised for his comments saying that he was “plainly wrong” and is sorry for causing anger and offence.

Sir Tom said: “Yesterday, on Sky News, I made a mistake, for which I apologise.

“I said that, in contrast to detectives, response officers “take nothing home” at the end of their shifts. That is plainly wrong, it is not what I meant, and I realise it has caused anger and offence. I am sorry about this.

“I was asked what might be the reasons why forces are facing difficulties in persuading officers to become or stay detectives. I spoke about the risks which detectives carry in a caseload, some of which will be both complex and involve crimes of an intensely distressing nature, including crimes of violence, abuse and sexual exploitation.”

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He added: “Response and neighbourhood policing are undoubtedly stressful.

“Police officers and staff who deal with the many dreadful things which people do to others, or which happen to them, most certainly do not leave them behind; they take them home, and in many cases they stay with them forever. This was illustrated by some of the harrowing examples on Twitter yesterday.”

Several North Wales Police officers told of some of the harrowing events they have experienced during their careers.

Superintendent Sian Beck, who is responsible for local policing services in Flintshire and Wrexham, tweeted: “As yng PC #itookhome death of baby R & distraught mum, 16 yrs later I remember his name & see his image. Response officers see it 1st.”

PC Lewis Davies said: Recent comments made have made me recall my first agony message. Telling a woman her brother had taken his own life. I saw her pain and anguish. "A few days later her grieving father had taken his own life. I often think of that woman and her family #ITookHome "

Superintendent Rob Kirman, head of specialist operations at North Wales Police said: “#ITookHome At address of male suicide when mum pops round cos she hadn’t heard from son that day. Me destroying her world in a sentence.”

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Wrexham police officer @NWPPC2926 tweeted: “#itookhome taking a wife to hospital I found out her husband had died en-route, still having to drive there on blues while she didn’t know.”

Sir Tom told in his statement that he does not doubt the “bravery, professionalism, dedication and sheer hard work” of police officers across the country – no matter what their rank or role.

He said: “The public owe a very great debt to police officers and staff for what they do, even though they do not fully appreciate the extent, frequency, severity and terrible nature of so much of it.”